Roasted Squash Soup

I found this amazing recipe in a Better Homes and Garden magazine and just love it. Tastes great on a cool, crisp fall day!

Makes 6 (1 cup) servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb butter nut or acorn squash, or sugar pumpkin

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups diced onions (3 medium onions)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 small bay leaf

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp honey

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C.

Wash the outside of your squash the split them in half lengthwise. With spoon, scrape out seeds and fibers from cavity. Season cut side of squash with 1 tsp salt; place flesh side down in lightly buttered baking dish or 15x10x1 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper.

Add 1/2 cup water to baking pan. Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until skin is browned and flesh is tender when pierced with knife. Remove from oven; let rest until cool enough to handle.

Scoop out flesh; discard skin.

In large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat butter until foaming. Add diced onions and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Sprinkle thyme over onions. Add bay leaf. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onions are tender and translucent (don not allow to color), about 10 minutes.

Add squash. Season with additional salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add broth; bring to simmer. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Remove bay leaf. Stir in honey. Cool slightly. Puree soup, one half at a time, in blender or food processor.

Rinse pot; dry. Return soup to pot; bring to simmer. Stir in 1/4 cup cream and 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg; heat through. Taste for seasoning; add salt, pepper, and honey as needed. Drizzle remaining cream; sprinkle nutmeg.

***Note: Convert this into a Phase 1 South Beach meal but using 1 Tbsp Splenda for the honey and use low fat half-and-half or low fat single cream instead of heavy whipping cream.